Silage level sensor. This is one of our "long-term" projects. Despite the apparent simplicity of the task, it took almost 5 years to create a working solution. We've tried everything from laser rangefinders to plumb lines, contact sensors, piezo sensors, strain gauges, and even a Helmholtz resonator. The challenge lies in the fact that the silo is ribbed, resulting in multiple reflections of any signals. Drilling the silo is usually not allowed, and installing load cells requires a good foundation, crane work, disconnecting the silo from the current line, etc.
At the same time, the silo is a big thing, and under wind load, the load cells' readings "float." The compound feed itself is very sticky, and inside the silo, any sensor is instantly covered with a layer of compound feed. Look at the photo of the sensor a couple of days after installation.
Customers need an inexpensive, easy-to-install, and maintenance-free solution. Now we have something to offer. The sensor runs on a built-in battery for 5 years, is maintenance-free, and transmits data over our radio channel. This means that you only need one receiver per site to collect data from hundreds of silos. The sensor's data can be displayed in various formats, such as distance, percentage of fill, or weight. It is also convenient to view the loading and discharge data in graphs.
